Tuesday, September 16, 2014

2:36 PM

Those seeking to vote absentee this fall will have to provide local clerks a copy of their photo ID before their ballots will be counted, GAB Director Kevin Kennedy said today.

Meanwhile, the ACLU said it plans to file a request for the full 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to hear the case after a three-judge panel lifted a stay on Friday holding up enforcement of the law.

Kennedy told an afternoon news conference absentee ballots are the most pressing issue in implementing the requirement.

Some absentee ballots had already been mailed out before the decision came down, and some ballots have already been returned.

He said clerks are being asked to send a written communication to those voters that they need to get a copy of their photo ID to their local clerk as soon as possible. If they are not there by Election Day, their vote will be treated as a provisional ballot. Those absentee ballots missing the photo ID requirement will not be destroyed.

The GAB is also asking clerks to follow up through other methods.

“This is where we’re asking the clerks to take some extraordinary steps,” Kennedy said.

In those cases where voters have requested an absentee ballot, but they have not been mailed, Kennedy said clerks are being instructed to make clear voters need to provide a copy of their ID before the ballots will be mailed.-- By Staff